New Delegation of the Ombudsman and Child Help Line inaugurated in Cabo Delgado

Pemba, Mozambique - An important milestone in the promotion of social justice and the defense of human rights, especially children’s rights, occurred in the city of Pemba, Cabo Delgado province, with the inauguration of the Ombudsman and the Child Help Line (Linha Fala Criança - 116).

This inauguration represents a decisive step in the partnership between the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the Ombudsman, a collaboration that began in 2019 and which has been strengthening the capacity to respond to human rights violations, particularly those affecting children in Mozambique.

"The presence of the Ombudsman, with the Linha Fala Criança (116), will allow many cases of violation of children’s rights in Cabo Delgado to be resolved more quickly and effectively," said Nicholas Wassuna, head of UNICEF’s Cabo Delgado field office.

With the support from the Government of the Kingdom of the Netherlands (one of the donors of the UNFPA-UNICEF Global Programme to End Child Marriage), the Linha Fala Criança (116) has been an essential channel for reports on cases of child marriage, sexual and gender-based violence, and the lack of access to education. These situations reflect the urgent challenges that persist in the protection of children’s rights in the province.

This new delegation will bring a more efficient and humanized reception, referral, and resolution of cases that directly impact the lives of thousands of children in Cabo Delgado province.